TROY'S REVIEW: Well, with Philip Ko in this, one thing is predictable right from the very start... yes, we get a rough sex scene! What the hell is it with IFD films featuring Ko indulging in heavy handed copulation? Answers on a postcard please. In the meantime, lets have a quick ganders at what else is on offer in this entry. The basic plot concerns hit man Ko arriving in Hong Kong after being hired to take out three targets. Matters are shown to be a little on the complex side however when we learn that Ko's brother is in fact a police officer. Unfortunately, the rest of the plot suddenly veers off on an utterly bewildering tangent which frankly defies description. Nonetheless you'll likely find yourself glued to the screen for the duration in morbid fascination at such off the wall sights as a bad guy (John Ladalski) torturing a poor woman on a beach with a combination of body paint and baby turtles, a transvestite assassin and a notable scene featuring vaginal drug smuggling. Would I recommend watching this? Why of course! (Might I also recommend some headache tablets to go with it though).

A Man From Holland was the basis for IFD's re-dub and therefore originally contains a lot of the above insanity.

Regardless of all three directors actually deserve main credit, Mahjong Dragon is an interesting casting premise subsequently taken to uneven and uninteresting places spiced up with competent action from Yuen Tak. In her last movie role before retirement, Josephine Siao plays a policewoman with poor luck in gambling. Traveling to the Mainland to find a husband in order to break the spell, she gets hooked up with legendary gambler Quick Hands (Vincent Zhao) who needs a passport to get into Hong Kong. In return, Siao's character receives gambling tips but Quick Hands is a hunted man too. Primarily by Tin Lung (Ken Lo) who wants blood and the gambling throne...

Or something like that. It's fun to see such an unexpected pairing of leads and characters living such different lives but subsequent comedic shenanigans and character relationships leading to romance, newly found family etc doesn't translate well at all. It's tired, low budget Hong Kong cinema where Siao admirably adds valuable quirks and we get watchable action but the pieces that are supposed to fit within all this, rarely do. Blackie Ko in quite an obnoxious role unfortunately gets to represent a lot what is wrong with Mahjong Dragon. Sandra Ng, Ku Feng and Samuel Leung also appear.

In all honesty it feels like at most 20% of Mainland Dundee actually comes through to this particular Western viewer. But it's an an energetic and silly 20%. Antique officer Siu Fung (Kenny Bee) and fellow comrade played by Mimi Chu comes to capitalist Hong Kong. Aside from the antique hunt, Siu Fung also spots a doppelganger for his beloved Heung Heung. She is however Lok Yee Ngar (Teresa Mo) who's supporting herself among other things working at a phone sex service. Siu Fung bunks up with another past comrade, Kau (Ng Man-Tat) who lives next door to the Taiwanese grandpa (Lam Kau) of Heung Heung. So they all collide with the respective side's patriotic views, fish out of water humour takes its place in the narrative as well as borderlining retarded characters (hello Gabriel Wong). There's a screwball charm in Jeffrey Chiang's movie that translates well, especially when Siu Fung gets shown a vacant apartment just exited by a suicidal Mainlander. The various games of dress up Kenny Bee goes through (for whatever reason... yes, sometimes matters are incoherent) including as Ray Lui's To Be Number One character Limpy Ho and a hairy, triad heavy also represents fun energy. A mid section of Mainland Dundee concerns itself seemingly with a LOT of wordplay but amazingly doesn't bore thanks to the energy on display by the performers despite a small percentage being obtainable by outside views. It helps when the ending is literally a big cartoon come to life and a chase scenario atop of two buses carrying campaigning politicians (one being a triad) shows Chiang staying true to an all out cartoony comedy for locals 100%. And partly for outsiders.

Lu Xuechang (Cala, My Dog!), part of the 6th generation of Mainland Chinese filmmakers (Zhang Yimou was in the 5th) debuted with this interesting coming of age story, using Mainland cinematic sensibilities far removed from what one comes to expect when hearing the words "coming of age". The Making Of Steel is in fact the title of a Russian novel found by main character Zhou Qing (played in young adult version by Zhu Hongmao who also scored the film) who finds out there's no steel content in the book but that it's a parallel to how you must shape into an individual with an iron will. Definitions are contrasting when speaking of that, something Lu acknowledges. Good and bad values surfaces, life facets fades in and out and so does the characters you so desperately wants to praise as having an impact on you. Complex in its own right but usually very clear in its intentions, cinematic language is suitably non-stylized with only select, smooth camera moves to accompany scenes. A compelling editing choice takes place many times during the first half as director Lu clearly is no fan of lingering on events more than necessary and instead favours trusting his audience being with the narrative. Second half gets a bit more stale and unclear but whenever Lu reminds us of the central theme of the film and the meaning of steel for Zhou Qing, The Making Of Steel regains its interesting status. Destined for rewatch status as well in my book.

Jimmy Wang Yu is Chin Fu, a Chinese man in Japan who scores a chance to get into the local Yakuza group. He seems soulless, cold, opportunistic but revenge is closer to his heart as he's doing all this to avenge his father and gain back the trust fund money stolen from him...

If you enjoy seeing Jimmy Wang Yu bash his way through a movie with the intensity that wasn't so much about skill but about grit, A Man Called Tiger sporadically offers up the immensely likeable presence he and a movie will have when in action mode. The modern day setting presents a variation for the genre too but as for the remaining chunk of film Lo Wei is directing, A Man Called Tiger showcases his knack for creating zero excitement, tension and in this case, basic plot coherency. Again, when looking for the action fix, the basic framework is penetrable but Lo Wei wants his plot to be trickier than that and contain more characters. By doing so, there's no distinction in barely anyone and what their motives are. Putting us to sleep via this type of direction and a crucial dice game in the final reels, Lo Wei may have a place in cinema history but even within those pieces of history (The Big Boss, Fist Of Fury), he was never the star. This film has its shining star not being allowed to strut enough star power. What kind of a directorial train of thought is that? Also with Maria Yi, James Tien, Han Ying-Chieh. Tien Feng and Lo Wei.

On home video, matters are very complicated for A Man Called Tiger. The Joy Sales vcd represents the Hong Kong cinema version clocking in at approximately 100 minutes. This in itself is 25 minutes longer than the US English dub version by Embassy (same edit as the old Hong Kong vhs), 14 minutes shorter than the Taiwan edit also available in America (released by Rainbow and dubbed in Cantonese) and 24 minutes longer than the Fortune Star dvd print. Despite being close to each other in length, US English dub version and Fortune Star dvd print are in fact rather different edits.

The current print as presented on vcd by Ocean Shores is often so dark that this gangster-cops actioner becomes utterly incomprehensible. Then again I'm certain that if all was crystal clear, A Man From Holland would still rank as an uninteresting exercise anyway. Aside from some fine tension at the very end (a confrontation between Michael Chan and Phillip Ko), director Kong relies on stock genre scenes and exploitation elements. For instance, John Ladalski is a drug dealer that later appears in a beach scene where he's tied a woman down and is painting her with either brushes or tortoises. Phillip Ko turns up just before he John unleashes an eel on her! There's a also a transvestite killer in this mix. Is Kong trying to get a point across? Then it surely is that he's incapable of dealing with the genre. Ray Lui and Kwan Hoi-San co-stars.

IFD released and dubbed the film into English under the title Magnum Thunderbolt. There are differences between the prints with each missing and containing the scenes the other one doesn't have. Considering the track record of Ocean Shores, the versions might as well have matched up when comparing a tape or laserdisc release of theirs prior to the vcd.

Buy the VCD at:
Yesasia.com

A co-production between Golden Harvest and Australia's The Movie Company, this generally silly and cheesy actioner that is just an excuse for Jimmy Wang Yu to wreck havoc in Sydney thankfully plays matters firmly tongue in cheek. Because if they wanted to be a serious player in world cinema, challenging James Bond, Dirty Harry, Steve McQueen and the likes, this would've today had the tally of a production with its head up its ass. Jimmy is Inspector Fang Sing-Ling who's supposed to extradite courier Chan (action director Sammo Hung) from Australia to Hong Kong but has his sights set on the bigger fish in the pond. Namely powerful crimelord Wilton (George Lazenby, coming off very well in the fight scenes as well as performing one bravura fire stunt). Australia's finest and also most laid back pair of cops (Roger Ward and Hugh Keays-Byrne) try their best to keep up in between playing pool, drinking beer and eating hot dogs...

With wonderfully shameful dialogue to get our invincible, heroic hero into bed with several white women (including Ros Spiers, when she's not hang-gliding her way through the flick), this is certainly action-entertainment of the risque kind as it doesn't dabble in the most politically correct areas. Then again, director Brian Trenchard-Smith has no problem getting the audience on board for a ride that is meant to show off the land of Australia, its very talented stuntmen (especially one car chase is tour de force-stuff) the intensity of Jimmy Wang Yu violently bashing his way through a million bad henchmen (almost getting killed an equal number of times but a veterinarian taking care of him says he finds his internal will extraordinary) and a stock-plot to lift the necessary beats out of any potential boredom despite a 100 minute running time. Totally irresponsible but a very fun effort out of the mold of the buddy cop actioner, The Man From Hong Kong also sports a number of your favourite Hong Kong stuntmen later turned actors/directors and the number one hit single "Sky High" by Jigsaw.

John Woo’s eagerly awaited return to heroic bloodshed. Sadly, despite John clearly not having any intentions of making us take this seriously, Manhunt merely presents bursts of inspired gunplay while the somewhat recycled in between content ranges from cringe worthy, wrongheaded to only somewhat charming. As Zhang Hanyu tries to clear his name while being pursued by a super smart Japanese cop (Masaharu Fukuyama), Woo has fun dropping recognizable beats and visual cues from his back catalogue and mostly gets away with it (including clever use of slow motion doves). Characters connect being on opposite ends of the law, through movies and an unspoken bond and it’s pretty ludicrous and overly poetic visual drama he puts on display. This is pure Woo that was meant to be taken seriously in some movies and some not. Both choices had an effect before. Here, it mostly lacks one as his male leads struggle through stilted English dialogue and most of Woo’s stylish tricks have trouble generating a viewer response. No fault of the plot that prides itself on going all the way to B-movie land by introducing a super soldier serum by the end and this is your cue for a variety of cool shootouts and brawls. Manhunt doesn’t have enough stretches of fun where we feel it’s tight or ludicrously entertaining though. Woo is partly in fine form but I was hoping we’d cheer him on more as he craft polished, visual trickery for a new audience. It’s not a grumpy old timer demanding old Woo but simply more than just inspired bursts in a 2 hour movie. If Woo is now back and comfortable with gunplay again, maybe Manhunt will be a leap off point to mold his style for a new audience. As an intro it’s spotty. Even for the old crowd. Co-starring Ha Ji-Won, Jun Kunimura, Naoto Takenaka and Yasuaki Kurata.

Ray Lui stepped into the shoes of Limpy Ho for To Be Number One and the acclaim garnered from that real life dramatization lead to a number of bigger vehicles, always with at least Stephen Shiu lurking in the background. In Man Of The Times, I'm not certain Lui's character Chan Chi Chiu's rise from cadet to corrupt prick of the police force gets its truths from real life but it certainly tries to present a political view of issues of reality. Now that doesn't sound totally uninteresting but in the hands of director Taylor Wong, it all sinks like a rock. Trying to portray our man and his times in broad, comedic (Ng Man-Tat is a whirlwind of annoyance in this once) and to an extent, straight faced ways while looking at corruption of the times, neither mood gels and rather shows a large degree of hack behaviour from a hack director. But the feeling is definitely that of had Wong gone with making one movie, he still would've bored us to tears. Now the contrasts are just there to annoy us to the extent that we happen to finish the flick in the process. Kent Cheng, Veronica Yip (largely wasted despite being a dramatic element), Ben Ng, Bowie Lam, Deannie Yip, Kelvin Wong, Louis Roth and Kwan Hoi-San also appear.

Buy the VCD at:
Yesasia.com

Alex Cheung followed up his terrific debut Cops And Robbers with yet another gritty drama, focusing on the turmoil rookie cop Chiu (Eddie Chan) goes through when he takes on the task of infiltrating a triad gang...

Writing, directing and photographing Man On The Brink, Cheung can't possibly have been the first kid on the block to attempt this story that later cropped up to great effect in City On Fire. But watching Chiu's descent shaped by the seedy world around him is quite engaging, much more so during the latter stages of the film when Cheung easily plants that sinking feeling in viewer's stomachs. Meaning that the proceedings are heading towards a sad end statement as Cheung takes us on a continuation of the social commentary from his debut. His view on the Hong Kong citizens first may be seen as unified but as it turns out, it's a unified, lawless group. Finely tuned is also his portrayal of triads that clearly have a tough shell that's easily cracked in the face of blood and violence. Cheung shoots mostly gritty, documentary style but has an eye for whenever to use slow motion to exhilarating effect. Some misplaced comedy and a really sappy montage disrupts his social commentary for a bit however. Nevertheless, Man On The Brink rises well-above any familiar goals this particular story possesses, complemented by an immersing performance by Eddie Chan who would go on to make an impact in He Lives By Night and Law With Two Phases.

Lok Man Hwa (Simon Yam) is an undercover cop in Brother Feng's (Yu Rong-Guang) gang and is on the verge of getting a promotion within it. Managing to get Feng at gunpoint, Feng gets away and goes up in a ball of flames... seemingly. Cut to a year later and Lok is enjoying a higher rank, a good relationship with girlfriend June (Eileen Tung) but the re-connection with Feng's girlfriend Yung (Christy Chung) sparks feelings. Various crimes around the city also smells of Feng returning for revenge...

It's City On Fire-lite (very lite) with little to no drama about the torment of the undercover hell and the consequences of being heavily loyal towards two sides. An interesting template not explored enough and Man Wanted certainly shows so much cheap filmmaking tricks for drama (Canto-pop and montages, those are the tools of Benny Chan) that it's hard to see any artistic intentions being attempted. But combine the big efforts of Simon Yam when later being fooled to quite a grave and bloody degree by Feng and Ma Yuk-Sing constantly delivering hard action and you have a fast food product that doesn't bore nor offend. In and out, despite the fireworks on display. Also with Law Kar-Ying, Kenneth Chan, Parkman Wong and Cherie Chan as the closest sister to Feng and often being dressed in the most ridiculous ways.